Egg contents separating mechanism



April 1952 c. H. WILLSEY 3,029,849

EGG CONTENTS SEPARATING MECHANISM Original Filed D st. 2, 1956 6Sheets-Sheet 1 2B a O IN V EN TOR.

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April 17, 1962 c. H. WILLSEY EGG CONTENTS SEPARATING MECHANISM 6Sheets-Sheet 4 Original Filed Oct. 2, 1956 mvglyfok. Che/[35H 14/4145 4A ril 17, 1962 c. H. WILLSEY EGG CONTENTS SEPARATING MECHANISM 6Sheets-Sheet 5 Original Filed Oct. 2, 1956 INVENTOR. CfzarZeafifldlfcfy, BY M WMP WW9 W April 17, 1962 c. H. WILLSEY EGG CONTENTSSEPARATING MECHANISM 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Original Filed Oct. 2, 1956 NMM @N MN m www fmww 9% m%% States Ulllilfi 3 9, EGG CONTENTS SEPARATINGMECHANISM Charles H. Willsey, 1717 E. 37th St., Topeka, Kans. Originalapplication Oct. 2, 1956, Ser. No. 613,498, now Patent No. 2,966,184,dated Dec. 27, 1960. Divided and this application Oct. 6, 1960, SE1; No.60,952 8 Claims. (Cl. 146-2) v This invention relates to egg handlingapparatus and is more particularly concerned with improvements in amachine having mechanism forfeeding eggs to a series or devices forsmoking or breaking successive eggs and separating the broken shellportions so as to deliver the contents therefrom by gravity intotraveling cup mechanisms which are thereafter operated to separate theyolks from the whites.

This application is a division of Serial No. 613,498, filed October 2,1956, now U.S. Patent No. 2,966,184, issued December 27, 1960, to whichreference may be had for details not hereinafter described.

Machines have heretofore been proposed for breaking or crackin eggs,separating the broken or cracked shell into two portions, removing thecontents from the separated she'll portions, and separating the whitesfrom the yolks, but these machines have not been entirely satisfactorybecause in most cases they have not operated to provide maximumseparation of the whites from the yolks with the minimum of breakage andat sufiiciently high operating speeds.

It is a general object of the present invention to provide an improvedegg feeding mechanism for an egg cracking machine having mechanism forautomatically cracking or breaking the shells of the successive eg'gsand delivering the contents thereof from the broken shells to suecessivereceptacles which are carried on a separating conveyor, with the latterhaving associated therewith mechanism for advancing the successivereceptacles while simultaneously separating the yolks from the whites,and with adequate provisions for handling the eggs rapidly andethciently and for maintaining the machine and the product thereof in asanitary condition.

It is a more specific object of the invention to provide a machinewherein successive eggs are delivered on end to cracking assemblieswhich are spaced about the periphcry of a rotating frame, the crackingassemblies are advanced by rotation of the frame While gripping the eggsat both ends, the shell of each egg is cracked and separated into twoportions which are moved apart by a hinging. movement of the assemblymembers thereby to discharge or dump the contents into separatingreceptacles which are carried on a chain conveyor having one endsupported for movement of the egg receiving receptacles in a pathbeneath the cracking assemblies and wherein mechanism is associated withthe receptacles for separating the yolks from the whites and fordischarging the same into separate receiving trays or containers.

It is another object of the invention to provide in an egg crackingmachine of the type described a conveyor having removably mountedthereon a plurality of separating cup assemblies for receiving thecontents of the eggs as they are broken and the shell portions areseparated wherein the cup assemblies comprise a lower white receivingpan and a pivotally connected upper tray which has at its outer edge ayolk cup separated from the remainder thereof by a clearance slotpermitting the white of an egg received therein to drain over the edgesof the yolk cup when the tray is tilted to position the yolk in the cup,with the white draining into the white receiving pan beneath the same,and cam elements arranged along the pathof the conveyor and engageablewith the pan and the tray to control the tilting thereof whereby thewhites are separated from the yolks and thereafter the pan and the trayare tilted successively to dump the contents into separate receptaclespositioned to receive the same.

It is a further object of the invention to provide in a mechanism bf thetype described an endless conveyor moving in a horizontal plane andhaving mounted thereon egg contents receiving devices which compriseupper and lower pivotally connected tray members which are mounted foroutboard swinging movement on the conveyor, the upper tray member beingprovided with a yoia'cu and apertures for draining the white around theedges of the yolk cup and into the lower tray member, andsupportingmembers along the path of the conveyor for maintaining the tray membersat predetermined elevations whereby they receive the egg contents,separate the white from the yolk, and successively dump the white fromthe lower tray and the yolk from the upper tray.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from aconsideration of the egg handling machine which is shown by way ofillustration in the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan View, of an egg breaking and contents separatingmachine embodying the principal features of the invention, with portionsbeing broken away or omitted;

FIGS. 2A and 23 together constitute an elevation, on a larger scale, ofone side of the machine, with portions of the mechanism being brokenaway or omitted;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view, to a larger scale, of portions of themechanism shown in FIG. 2;

I FIG. 4 is a partial side elevation, taken generally on the line 4-4 ofFIG. 1 and to a larger scale, showing the inspection side of theseparating conveyor;

FIG. 5 is a plan view, partially in section, taken on a horizontal planeimmediately above the separating conveyor, with the separating cupassemblies being omitted and with portions broken away, the view beingon an enlarged scale and showing particularly the supporting rails forthe cup assemblies;

FIG. 6 is a partial elevation taken on the line 6-6 of FIG. 5 with theseparating cup assemblies omitted and with portions broken away;

FIG. 7 is a cross section taken FIG. 4; p FIG. 8 is a cross sectiontaken on the line 88 of FIG. 4; and 7 BIG. 9 is a section taken on theline 9-9 of FIG. 2A. V Referring particularly to FIGS. 1 to 3 of thedrawings, the general arrangement of the several mechanisms which areincorporated in the machine and the manner in which they cooperate inthe processing of the eggs will first be described briefly;

The machine preferably includes a shell egg supply mechanism in the formof an egg washing or cleaning device having an egg supporting endlessconveyor 10 with the discharge or delivery end thereof positioned todeliver successive rows of 6 eggs each to a transfer or feed conveyor 11for the cracking and separating machine, as shown in FIG. 1. The eggs,as indicated at 12, are delivered after passage through the washer tothe endless chain feed conveyor 11 which is supported at its ends formovement in a horizontal plane on the end sprockets 13 and 14, thelatter being mounted on the upper end of a vertical drive shaft 15 whichconstitutes the main driving member for the entire machine. The chainconveyor 11 carries a plurality of egg gripping or holding assemblies16' for receiving the eggs 12 as they on the line 77 of are delivered inrow formation by the supply conveyor lil'and for advancingthe eggs 12 insingle row forming relation to a point adjacent the outer periphery ofthe end supporting sprocket 14"where the eggs are delivered to thecracking devices at the cracking station indicated at 17.

The eggs 12 are delivered, one by one, from the holding assemblies 16 onthe conveyor 11 to cracking assemblies 18 which are carried around theperiphery of a circular supporting frame or plate structure 19 mountedbelow the end sprocket 14 on the vertical power shaft 15. The crackingassemblies 18, to which the individual eggs 12 are delivered with thelong axis of the same extending vertically, are constructed to engagethe periphery of each successive egg and to advance the same in acircular path around the power shaft 15. The cracking assemblies 18 arepivotally connected to the periphery of the supporting frame plate 19and are operated as they advance to crack the egg shell and then swingdownwardly, as shown in FIG. 3, to a dumping position where they open upand separate the cracked shell into two portions or halves which allowsthe egg contents to drop by gravity into one of a plurality ofseparating devices 20 which are mounted in spaced relation on an endlessseparating conveyor 21, the latter having one end thereof supported onan end sprocket 22 (FIGS. 2A and secured on the vertical power shaftbelow the cracking head frame 19. The conveyor 21, which is arranged ina generally horizontal plane, has its other end supported on an idlersprocket 23 and the movement of the same is timed to align theseparating devices below the cracking assemblies 18 as they pass aroundthe end sprocket 22. The separating devices 20 are advanced by conveyor21 past an operator at an inspection station indicated at 24 in FIG. 1,and the yolks and whites are separated by manipulation of the separatingdevices 20. Thereafter the yolks and whites are delivered separately tochutes 25 and 26 and thence to collecting receptacles (not shown) forremoval from the machine. Provision is made for dumping the contents,prior to separation of the yolks and whites, of any of the separatingdevices 20 into which the inspector finds a spoiled or inedible egg hasbeen delivered or in which the yolk has been broken. A washing machine27 is arranged along the return run of the conveyor 21 for cleaning andsterilizing the separating devices 20 from which broken yolks or spoiledegg meats have been removed.

The feed conveyor 11 and the cracking assemblies 18 and the operation ofthe same are fully described in application Serial No. 613,498, now US.Patent No. 2,966,184, to which reference may be had for details thereof.

The egg contents separating assemblies 20, which are carried on theseparating conveyor 21, move in an endless horizontal path beneath thecracking assemblies 18 and at the cracking station 17 each of thesuccessive separating assemblies 20 is aligned beneath a crackingassembly 18 by proper relative spacing of the latter on the turret 19and of the separating assemblies 20 on the conveyor 21 which has one endcarried on the sprocket 22 secured to the shaft 15 immediately below theturret 19.

Each of the separating assemblies 20 (FIGS. 4, 7 and 8) comprises threemain portions, an upper egg receiving tray 200, a lower albumenreceiving pan 201, and a bail member 202 which serves to connect the twopan-like members 200 and 201 in pivoted relation and to support the samefrom the chain 21 by connection with a hanger bracket 203. The uppertray portion 200 of the assembly 20, which initially receives the eggcontents, includes a tray-like portion 204 which is open at the frontedge and which has attached to the lower edge of forward portions of theside walls 205 thereof a yolk cup 206 of a size and shape adapted toreceive the normal sized yolk of an egg. The rear end or edge of theyolk cup 206 is spaced from the forward edge of the bottom member 207 ofthe tray portion 20 to form a slot 208 through which the albumen maydrain around the inner edge of the cup 206. The upper tray portion 204is attached to the outer ends of the leg forming sections 209 of thesupporting bail 201 by pivots 210. The pivoting of the tray portion 204in a counterclockwise direction on the leg sections 209 is limited by anabutment stop forming member 211 projecting rearwardly of one of theside edges of the tray 204 and having its end engageable with a legsection 209.

The bottom or albumen collecting pan 201 of the separating assembly 20is of generally triangular shape with the back wall 212 having attachedthereto upstanding bearing forming member 213 which receive a pivotforming cross pin 214 extending between the leg sections 209 of the bailmember 202. Relative movement between the legs 209 of the member 202 andthe pan 201 is in the clockwise direction of the pan 201 and is limitedby an abutment stop member 215 which extends at right angles to one ofthe legs 209 and is adapted to engage with the inner surface of the backwall 212 of the pan 201. The pan 201 is provided at its forward end witha forwardly projecting pin 216 for a purpose which will be described.The bail member 202 has a portion 217 bent at an angle upwardly andrearwardly of the legs 209 which is adapted to be engaged in a dependinghook formation 218 on the hanger 203.

The assembly supporting hangers 203 each include an angle or base plateextension 219 at the top of the hook forming portion 218 which issecured to a link of the chain 21. A cross pin 220 extends betweenupstanding ears 221 on the base plate 219 and supports in pivotedrelation thereon an inverted U-shaped latch element having dependinglegs 222 which are adapted to engage above the bight portion 217 of themember 202. A bight forming portion 223 which serves as a handle formanually swinging the latch member extends at right angles to the legmembers 222 and connects the two leg members for simultaneous operationso that the bail 202 is normally held in latched relation in the hookforming portion 218 of the hanger and is readily released by manualoperation of the handle forming portion 223 to swing the latchingelement about the pivot 220.

The separating assemblies 20 are swingable outboard of the path oftravel of the supporting conveyor 21 and their movement is controlled bya series of earn rails which will be described. The one end of thewnveyor 21 (FIG. 5) is supported on sprocket 22 which is secured to thevertical shaft 15 while the other end is supported on the sprocket 23which is mounted on a stub shaft 225 on a bearing plate 226 which isslotted at 227 to receive fastening studs 228 extending upwardly of ahorizontal frame support structure 229. A top plate 230 on thesupporting structure 229 has its side edges upturned or flanged at 231to provide a guide rail for holding the chain conveyor 21 in properalignment by engagement of the top of the rail forming flange 231beneath the hangers 203 on which the separating assemblies 20 aresupported.

The separating assemblies 20 are carried around the vertical shaft 15 bythe conveyor 21 and sprocket 22 in a generally outwardly extendingposition and in vertical alignment beneath the cracking assemblies 18which are positioned on the turret head 19 above the same. At the pointin their movement at which the separating assemblies 20 receive the eggcontacts from an opened up cracking assembly 18 the lower albumen trayportion 201 is supported on the end of an arcuate lower rail 232 (FIGS.2A, 3, 5 and 6) while the upper tray-like portion 200 and the attachedyolk cup 205 are supported in an outwardly extending slightly upwardlyinclined position by an arcuate rail 233 which is arranged in spacedrelation above the rail 232 and supported therefrom by connectingbracket members 235 and 236. A guard rail 237 is preferably provided inspaced relation above the rail 233 and is supported therefrom byconnecting brackets 238 and 239. The rails 232, 233 and 237 are bracedby connecting brackets 240, 241 and 242 which extend from the uprightpost 243 forming part of the main frame 35.

Each succeeding assembly 20 is held in the position in which it receivesthe egg contents as it travels in a circular path around the shaft andreceives any additional albumen which is blown from the shells by an airjet mechanism 170. As the chain 21 leaves the end supporting sprocket 22the successive separating assemblies 29 pass by an inspection station 24(FIGS. 1 and 5) at which an operator is positioned. The guard rail 237terminates as the assemblies 26 approach the inspection station 24 andthe supporting rails 232 and 233 also terminate with their ends attachedto a depending bracket forming member 244. At this point the support ofthe separating assemblies is transferred to the uppermost one of a pairof generally parallel supporting rails 245 and 246 which extend alongthe run of the conveyor 21 above a collection pan 247 at the inspectionstation 24. The nails 245 and 246 are supported one above the other atthe one end by the depending bracket 244 with the bottom pan 201 of eachassembly normally supported on the top rail 245 which is at a lowerlevel than the supporting rail 233 so that the top tray portion 200 istilted sufficiently to position the yolk in the yolk cup 206 and allowthe albumen to drain over the edges thereof into the 'lower albumencollecting pan 201, the latter being held at a substantially horizontallevel.

As the separating assemblies 20 pass the inspection station 24, theoperator is able to observe the condition of the contents and provisionis made for dumping any one of the assemblies which is carrying an eggnot in condition to be separated. By exerting pressure rearwardly on theprojecting pin 216 at the forward end of the tray 201, the tray 201 maybe pivoted about the pin 214 and the hanger member 203 sufficiently toallow the entire assembly to swing clear of the upper supporting rail245 and dump the contents into the tray 2 47 beneath the same. If thecharacter of the egg meats is such that it is desired to remove itentirely by a dumping operation, this can be done at a point near theend of the nails 245 and 246 by merely pushing on the pin 216suflicient- 1y to transfer the support of the assembly 20 from. theuppermost rail 245 to the lowermost rail 246 as the as sembly moves bythe inspection station 24. The bottom rail 246 has an offset portion 248(FIGS. 4 to 6) at the end thereof where it is attached to a venticalsupport post 249 forming part of the framework of the machine. Theoffset portion 248 allows the assembly 20 to swing to' a verticalposition to dump the entire contents into a disposal tray or chute dpositioned below the same and above the collecting tray 247. The chute250 is, of course, connected with a suitable disposal container (notshown). A back rail 251 for guiding assemblies which are dumped has oneend attached at 252 to the outer face of the shell disposal chute 163.This rail 251 terminates at 253 adjacent the end 254 of an arcuate rail255 which guides the dumped and soiled assemblies 20 into the housing27% for the washing machine 27 which is supported along the rear run ofthe conveyor 21. The assemblies 20 which are observed to be in conditionfor separation of the whites or albumen from the yolks are allowed tocontinue with the lower pan Ziil supported on the upper nail 245 untilthe assemblies 20 pass the supporting post 249 where the rail 245 has adownwardly and inwardly curved extension 256 which allows the albumencollect ing pan 261 to drop to a lower level and simultaneously tiltforwardly and downwardly to an inclined position and dump the contentsinto a collecting tray or chute 25 for discharge from the machine.Meanwhile, the yolk cup 206 is picked up by an upper rail section 258which has an upper end supported by the post 249 and which extendsdownwardly around the end of the conveyor 21. The rail section 258 overwhich the cup 206 initially travels curves partially around the end ofthe conveyor 21 and terminates at a discharge chute 26 into which theyolk is dumped. The lower rail 256 which carries the albumen tray 201continues past the chute 26' and has '5 an upwardly inclined section 260extending to the top of the casing for the washingmachine 27 so that theentire assembly 20, after the separation, rides on the rail section 265)to the top of the washing machine.

The upper rail section 258 is supported from the lower rail section 256by a connecting bracket 261. Suitable upstanding rods or posts 262 and263 support the rail 255 and the lowermost portion of the rail 256 abovea horizontally extending bracket 264 on the end of the frame 229 of themachine. The lower inner rail 255 is split at it approaches the washingmachine to provide two rail sections 265 and 266 for separating thepaths of the two tray portions 200 and 26d of the assemblies 20 for thewashing operation. The collecting trays and chutes 247, 250, 25 and 26are removably supported by suitable brackets or the like on thesupporting frame 229 of the machine so that they may be readily removedfor cleaning.

As the separating assemblies 20 which have passed through the washingmachine 27 emerge, cleaned and I sterilized, from the open end of thewasher housing 270, they engage with a guide rail 291 (FIGS ZA and 5')which brings them up to supporting rails 23 2 and 233 at the crackingstation 17. Those assemblies 20 which do not go through the washingmachine 27 supported on the top of the housing 27! as they advance andpass over the washing machine and onto the rail 292 on which they moveto the support rails 232 and 2 33 at the cracking station 17. v

The verticaly mounted power drive shaft 15 (FIGS. 2A and 9) is supportedin top and bottom bearings 293 and 294-. A drive sprocket 295 is mountedon the shaft 15 adjacent the bottom bearing 294 and connected by a drivechain 2% with the output sprocket 297 of a change speed device 298. Theinput shaft 299 of the change speed device 298 is connected to the powershaft of a drive motor 390. A pulley 301 on the drive shaft 299 is connected by a drive belt 302 with a pulley 303 on the end of the powershaft 274 for operating the washing apparatus. The motor 300 and thechange speed device 298 are mounted on a cross frame member 304 at thebot tom of the machine, which also supports the bottom bearing 294 forthe vertical power shaft 15.

in operating the machine the eggs are delivered by the conveyor 10 tothe feed conveyor 11 and received in the holder assemblies 16, with theeggs being supplied in rows of 6 each as they come from a conventionalshipping case, and preferably with the eggs being washed and sterilizedwhile they are on the conveyor 10. Each egg is carried by a holder 16 tothe delivery station A (FIGS. 1 and 8) where the holder assembly 16 isallowed to rotate degrees and then release the egg so that the latterdrops by gravity into a cracking assembly 18 which is aligned below thefeed holder assembly 16. The egg is gripped in the assembly and theshell cracked as the entire assembly 1S swings downwardly and advancestoward station C where the dumping occurs (FIG. 3). An empty' separating assembly 20 is moved by the conveyor chain 2?]. into verticalalignment beneath each cracking assembly 18 at station C with the lowerpan 2411 supported on the lower rail 232 and the upper pan 200 supportedon the upper rail 233. The upper pan 200 is positioned only a very shortdistance below the egg as the cracked shell portions are opened up byoperation of the assembly 13 and the egg contents is delivered bygravity into the pan portion 260 so that there is a minimum of brokenyolks in the operation of the mechanism. The cracking assemblies 18 andthe separating assemblies 20 travel in vertical alignment around theshaft 15 and any white which clings-t0 the shell portions is blown outby operation of the air jet assembly, a portion of which is indicated atand which travels for a predetermined dis tance with the same. The whiteremoved by the air jet assembly 170 is delivered to the upper pair 200of the separating assembly 20 and subsequently separated with the whitedelivered by gravity.

The separating assemblies 20 with the egg contents in the upper pan 200are advanced along the supporting rails 232 and 233 to the rail 245where the upper pan 260 of each assembly is tilted sutliciently to movethe yolk into the cup 206 and drain the white around the edge of thesame into the lower pan 201. The operator at inspection station 24observes the contents of each assembly and any broken yolks areimmediately dumped into pan 247 by pushing the lower pan 26.1 toward thechain 21 a sufiicient distance to pivot the entire assembly on the bailportion 218 and permit it to swing clear of both support rods 245 and246. if a bloody egg is observed, the operator pushes the lower pantoward the chain 21 a sufficient distance for the pan 201 to drop tolower support rail 246 on which it rides until the assembly reaches theoffset portion 248 thereof where it rides oil": the rail 246 and dumpsthe contents into the pan 250 below the same. The assemblies which carryegg meats observed to be in condition for separation are carried to theend of support rail 245 where the upper pan 2G0 rides on rail 258 whilethe lower pan 201 rides on rail 256 for dumping of the contents in thechutes 26 and 25, respectively. These assemblies then continue around tothe cracking station 17 being carried over the top of the housing 270.The assemblies 2% which have been dumped at the inspection station arecarried, in depending relation, to the washing machine and are directedinto the housing by the split rails 265 and 266. As the cleaned andsterilized assemblies 20 emerge from the washing machine they are swungup to the station C by engagement with support rail 291 (FIG. 2A).

The separating assemblies 20 may, of course, be readily removed from theconveyor 21 when it is desired, for any reason, to replace them and anew one substituted while they are passing between the inspectionstation 24 and the cracking station 17.

I claim:

1. An egg contents separating means comprising an endless conveyorhaving a plurality of receptacles mounted thereon, which receptacles areadapted to receive the contents of an egg, said receptacles eachcomprising an upper pan forming member having a yolk cup forming portionat the outer side thereof, a lower albumen collecting pan of generallytriangular form, a supporting bail member pivotally connected at theinner end to said conveyor for swinging movement outwardly anddownwardly of the path of said conveyor, said bail member beingpivotally connected adjacent its outer end to the inner end of saidupper pan forming member, said lower albumen collecting pan beingpivotally connected adjacent its inner end to said bail memberintermediate the ends of the latter for swinging movement beneath saidupper pan member, a stop member for limiting the swinging movement ofsaid upper pan member in the direction of said lower albumen collectingpan, a supporting rail extending for a predetermined distance along saidconveyor and engaging beneath said lower albumen collecting pan forsupporting said receptacles in a horizontal position during theirmovement along the same, and supplemental rails extending beyond the endof said supporting rail for engaging beneath said upper pan member andsaid lower albumen collecting pan, said supplemental rails curvingdownwardly to cause said upper pan member and said albumen collectingpan to tilt outwardly and downwardly relative to said conveyor fordischarging the contents over the outer side thereof.

2. An egg contents separating means comprising an endless conveyorhaving a plurality of receptacles mounted thereon, which receptacles areadapted to receive the contents of successive eggs, said receptacleseach comprising an upper pan forming member having a yolk cup formingportion at the outer side thereof, a lower albumen collecting pan ofgenerally triangular form, a

supporting bail member pivotally connected at the inner end to saidconveyor for swinging movement outwardly and downwardly of the path ofsaid conveyor, said bail member being pivotally connected to the innerend of said upper pan forming member, said lower albumen collecting panhaving its inner end pivotally connected to said bail memberintermediate its ends, a stop member for limiting the swinging movementof said upper pan member in the direction of said lower albumencollecting pan, a supporting rail extending for a predetermined distancealong said conveyor and engaging beneath the outer end of said loweralbumen collecting pan for supporting said receptacle with the albumencollecting pan in a generally horizontal position and with the upper panforming member tilted outwardly and downwardly during their movementalong the same, and supplemental rails extending beyond the end of saidsupporting rail for engaging beneath the outer ends of said upper panmember and said lower albumen collecting pan, said supplemental railsbeing positioned to cause said upper pan member and said albumencollecting pan to tilt outwardly and downwardly relative to saidconveyor for discharging the contents over the outer side thereof.

3. In an egg contents separating mechanism, a receptacle adapted toreceive the contents of an egg, which receptacle comprises an upper panforming member of generally triangular shape having a bottom terminatingin a yolk cup forming an outer side thereof, a lower albumen collectingpan of generally triangular form, a supporting bail member adapted to bepivotally connected at the inner end thereof to a traveling support forswinging movement outwardly and downwardly of the same, said upper panmember having a pivotal connec tion with said bail member adjacent itsinner end, said lower albumen collecting pan member having a pivotalconnection adjacent its inner end with an intermediate portion of saidbail member for swinging movement about an axis parallel to the axis ofthe pivotal connection of said upper pan member with said bail member, astop member on said upper pan member and engaging said bail member forlimiting the swinging movement of said upper pan member toward saidlower albumen collecting pan, a rail extending for a predetermineddistance along the path of said traveling support and having a portionengaging beneath said lower albumen collecting pan for supporting thesame and said upper pan member in a generally horizontal position, saidrail having an adjoining portion for supporting said lower albumencollecting pan at a lower level to cause said upper pan member and saidalbumen collecting pan to tilt outwardly and downwardly relative to saidconveyor for discharging the contents over the outer side thereof.

4. An egg contents separating mechanism comprising an endless chainconveyor arranged for movement in a generally horizontal plane having aplurality of separating receptacles mounted thereon, which receptaclesare adapted to receive the contents of successive eggs, said receptacleseach comprising an upper pan forming member having side and rear wallsand a bottom wall with a portion thereof sloping upwardly and outwardlyof the rear wall and terminating at a yolk cup forming portion at theouter side thereof, a lower albumen collecting pan having a generallytriangular form, a supporting bail member for said receptacle which ispivotally connected at its inner end to said conveyor for swingingmovement outwardly and downwardly of the path of said conveyor, saidupper pan forming member being pivotally connected to said ball memberadjacent the rear wall thereof, said lower albumen collecting pan memberhaving its inner end pivotally connected to an intermediate portion ofsaid bail member for swinging movement beneath said upper pan member, astop member on said upper pan member and engageable with said bailmember for limiting the swinging movement of said upper pan membertoward said lower albumen collecting pan, a supporting rail formationextending for a predetermined distance along the path of said conveyorand having portions engaging beneath the outer edge of said loweralbumen collecting pan for supporting the latter in a horizontalposition during movement along the same, said rail formation havingother portions for engaging beneath the outer edge of said upper panmember and the outer edge of said lower albumen collecting pan forsupporting said upper pan member and said albumen collecting pan inoutwardly and downwardly tilted relation to said conveyor fordischarging the contents over the outer side thereof.

5. An egg contents separating means comprising an endless conveyorhaving a plurality of receptacles mounted thereon, which receptacles areadapted to receive the contents of an egg, said receptacles eachcomprising an upper pan forming member having a yolk cup forming portionat the outer side thereof, a lower albumen collecting pan, a supportingbail member pivotally connected at the inner end to said conveyor forswinging movement outwardly and downwardly of the path of said conveyor,said bail member being pivotally connected adjacent its outer end tosaid upper pan forming member, said lower albumen collecting pan beingpivotally connected to said bail member for swinging movement beneathsaid upper pan member, a stop member for limiting the downward swingingmovement of said upper pan member on said bail member, a supporting railextending for a predetermined distance along said conveyor and engagingbeneath said lower albumen collecting pan for supporting saidreceptacles in upwardly opening,

horizontal position during their movement along the same, and meansbeyond the end of said supporting rail for engaging said upper panmember and said lower albumen collecting pan in supporting relation andfor causing said upper pan member and said albumen collecting pan totilt outwardly and downwardly relative to said conveyor for dischargingthe contents over the outer side thereof.

6. An egg contents separating means comprising an endless conveyorhaving a plurality of receptacles mounted thereon, which receptacles areadapted to receive the contents of successive eggs, said receptacleseach comprising an upper pan member having a yolk cup forming portion atthe outer side thereof, a lower albumen collecting pan, a supportingbail member pivotally connected to said conveyor for swinging movementout- Wardly and downwardly of the path of said conveyor, said bailmember being pivotally connected to the inner end of said upper panmember, means pivotally connecting said lower albumen collecting pan tosaid bail member, means for limiting the swinging of said upper panmember on said bail member in the direction of said lower albumencollecting pan, a supporting rail extending for a predetermined distancealong said conveyor and engaging said lower albumen collecting pan forsupporting said pan members with the albumen collecting pan in agenerally horizontal position and with the upper pan member tiltedoutwardly and downwardly during their movement along the same so thatthe yolk moves into said yolk cup and the albumen drains into the lowerpan member, and means at the end of said supporting rail for engagingsaid pan members so as to cause said upper pan member and said albumencollecting pan to tilt outwardly and downwardly relative to saidconveyor for discharging the contents over the outer side thereof.

7. In an egg contents separating mechanism, a device adapted to receivethe contents of an egg, which device comprises an upper pan memberhaving an open outer side and a bottom terminating in a yolk cup, alower albumen collecting pan having a back, bottom and sides with anopen outer end, a supporting bail member adapted to be pivotallyconnected to a traveling support for swinging movement outwardly anddownwardly of the same, said upper pan member having a pivotalconnection with said bail member, said lower albumen collecting panmember having a pivotal connection with said bail memher for swingingmovement about an axis parallel to the axis of the pivotal connection ofsaid upper pan member with said bail member, a stop member on said upperpan member for limiting the swinging movement of said upper pan membertoward said lower albumen collecting pan, a rail extending for apredetermined distance along the path of said traveling support andmeans on said lower albumen collecting pan for engaging said rail sothat said pan members are carried in a generally horizontal position,said rail having an adjoining portion for supporting said lower albumencollecting pan at a lower level to cause said upper pan member and saidalbumen collecting pan to tilt outwardly and downwardly relative to saidconveyor for discharging the contents over the outer side thereof.

8. An egg contents separating mechanism comprising an endless conveyorarranged for movement in a generally horizontal plane and having aplurality of separating devices mounted thereon, which devices areadapted to receive the contents of successive eggs, said devices eachcomprising an upper pan forming member having side and rear walls and abottom wall with a portion thereof sloping upwardly and outwardly of therear wall and terminating at a yolk cup forming portion at the outerside thereof, a lower albumen collecting pan having side and rear wallsand a bottom wall with the outer side open, a supporting bail member forsaid pans which is pivotally connected to said conveyor for swingingmovement outwardly and downwardly of the path of said conveyor, saidupper pan being pivotally connected to said bail member adjacent therear wall thereof, said lower pan having its inner end pivotallyconnected to said bail member for swinging movement beneath said upperpan, a stop member for limiting the swinging movement of said upper pantoward said lower pan, a supporting rail formation extending for apredetermined distance along the path of said conveyor and means at theouter edge of said lower pan for engaging said rail and supporting saidlower pan in a horizontal position during movement along the same, saidrail formation having vertically spaced, inclined portions for engagingsaid upper pan and said lower pan so as to support said pans inoutwardly and downwardly tilted relation to said conveyor fordischarging the contents over the outer sides thereof.

Willsey Dec. 3, 1957

